Mark McInnis
I’m embarrassed to say that until about 6 months ago, I didn’t actually know who Mark McInnis was and hadn’t seen any of his work.
Then, one day, after about an hour of indulging in the galleries of his website I was like, oh wow, this guy has the most enviable portfolio of images I’ve ever seen.
When people used to ask me the style of photography I like or would aspire to, I would fumble around with a poorly worded explanation - now I just point them to Marks page and say - that! That’s it!
Mark is a commercial brand and surf photographer from Oregon in Americas Pacific North West and while the good surf days may be fewer and farther between than the typical surf photography location, when its on, the area is home to some of the most spectacular coastline scenery in the country.
He uses this to his advantage, often incorporating a more pulled back style, to showcase a wave or surfer in the context of the environment, producing scale and story into an image that is so often forgotten in surf and wave photography.
His dream list of clients is the result of pure hard work, dedication, putting himself and his work out there and as he says “just f**king doing it!”
I really love this interview. I feel like it’s a kind of culmination of the reason I started The Salt Sessions. Discovering an incredible photographer who not only has great images but also a great mindset, work ethic and the ability to convey it.
So enough of my rambling. Dive in and check out this awesome interview and these epic images and please don’t stop there.
Mark has so many more great images on both his instagram and website and they are linked at the bottom as always.
I hope you enjoy this as much as me
Cheers!
Hometown?
Bend, Oregon
Was photography always the plan or what first made you pick up a camera?
I don’t know if it was always “the plan”, but I’ve been obsessed with photography since my junior or senior year of high school. I just took photography class from Mrs. Rosch because I figured it would be an easy “A”, but then fell in love with it. I had been taking fine art classes, drawing, painting and I pretty much sucked, but I loved it. I knew I loved art from an early age, but I was frustrated by how bad I was at it. But I think photography opened my eyes to the fact that the everyday world can be art and that capturing it is art. So once I developed some images and realized I kinda liked them, I clung to photography and never looked back.
I’m a huge fan of the more pulled back style in your surf photography, incorporating backdrops, foregrounds and elements of the surrounding landscape. Can you discuss your thoughts around this style and its appeal to you?
Thank you so much for the kind words. I really appreciate that. You know, I don’t know that I ever “tried” to do that. It’s simply a product of the environments I shoot in. If there’s a good backdrop, I gotta shoot it. It makes the image much more interesting and definitely helps to give it more feel and depth. I never name locations in my photography, but sometimes a backdrop helps give the viewer a better sense of scale and place. That’s my favorite thing about shooting pulled back; just showing the immensity of a place.
I heard you talking about some advice you got from Chris Burkard in regards to people saying that you couldn’t make it as a surf photographer from your part of the country. It was something as simple and profound as “don’t listen to them, just go and make it happen” Can you expand on that a bit and maybe add in your own advice for people now that you have come out the other side of actually making it happen?
Oh man. Burky is a dear friend of mine and has helped me with my career in many, many, ways, but I think that was the most valuable bit of advice he’s ever given me. I needed that at the time. I needed somebody that I looked up to to give me that confidence boost. It was crucial in that moment. In terms of advice, man, you just have to work your tail off and actually just f**king do it. You just have to do it. It’s not easy. You need to work harder than somebody that just clocks in and clocks out everyday. But luckily most of us love what we do so that work is a labor of love and all the long hours leave us feeling excited and fulfilled. I don’t know if this answers the question. I guess what I mean is you have to commit. If you don’t commit and just kinda try to do something, it usually doesn’t work. You really gotta commit to it and go at it 110% with all your heart and soul.
When initially getting into brand work or editorial work, were you doing a lot of spec work in order to get yourself noticed, and how much of your success has come from simply putting yourself and your work out there?
I was definitely doing some “test shoots” with friends and defining my style in that realm. That said, I’m always changing, evolving, experimenting, so I don’t know how permanent a style ever is. But yeah, just a combination of putting work out there while simultaneously harassing art directors. Haha. Gotta be persistent!
Following on from the last question - Choosing a creative endeavour to become your career and source of income can be an extremely tough road. Uncertainty, self doubt, no regular income guarantees, no sick pay for days off. Many people go into it with only a view on the glamorous side and are then hit hard by the realities? What has been your experience on your journey and what would you say have been the most important traits, you either had or developed, in order to create the career, you have had so far?
Man, this is a great question. I swear most of my friends thing I just drink Mai Tais by a pool everyday. In reality it’s a struggle. Some months you’re on top of the world, feeling loaded and financially secure and then the next month you’re harassing a buddy for $400 they owe you because you really need it. It’s tough man. It’s really tough to find that balance, but that’s kinda what keeps it interesting. The hustle. You gotta hustle. You gotta stay on top of everything. But more than anything, it’s relationships. It’s friendships. You work 12-15 hour days with these people, you know? You get close fast. You become a family and you take care of each other. So if a client continually hires you, you do your absolute best for them because they’re your family. They have your back and you have theirs. It’s simple.
How much of your shooting now is work related and do you have much of a chance to just explore and shoot with no agenda?
I’d say my schedule nowadays is kinda 70% commercial work and 30% personal photography projects. Which is a nice balance because I get to work and make money and then use that money to fund personal projects (no savings account here).
When you come back from a really good surf shooting session and there’s potentially a large number of good images to choose from, what are the specific elements required in an image for you to choose it from the bunch?
The same elements that make any good photo: Lighting, composition, the feeling it gives me, the moment in which it was taken. All of that stuff.
Is there anywhere you still haven’t been yet, that you would love to shoot?
Oh man. So many places! I’m dying to go to Japan in the winter. I still haven’t been to Norway. Still haven’t been to Tasmania. Still haven’t been to New York or New Jersey when it’s snowing and pumping. Still haven’t been to a bunch of places that snow and have waves. Anywhere that snows and has waves. Sign. Me. Up!
Any other parting advice for aspiring surf and wave photographers?
Just have fun. Make mistakes. Experiment. It’s kinda corny and cliche, but that’s what it’s all about. If you’re not having fun, if you’re not loving what you’re doing, do something else.
Dive into Mark’s world further here
Instagram: markomcinnis
Website: https://www.markmcinnis.com/
FINAL SHOT…
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